The Lost Witch

Chapter seven

*Hey guys, another chapter ready to go. let me know what you think. I'd love some input*

Paige vaguely became aware of walking, of being moved elsewhere, but everything just felt numb. She felt weak in ways she's never felt before. It freaked her out and took her much longer to recover.

Eventually, she ended up in the school infirmary. It was a long walk from where she had started, including going up several flights of stairs. Paige didn't think she had it in her to travel so far, but she felt a pressure up against her body and figured someone practically dragged her through the doors.

Shadows moved in and out of her vision. They were familiar shadows, with familiar voices and it wasn't until her mind cleared from its heavy fog that she was able to recognise those voices.

Kendall. Ms. Schade. Mr. Mendes. The school nurse, a witch, a healer; Ms. Kerby and . . .

Gulp.

Dad.

"I'm sorry."

Paige's voice had the small group of people stop bickering with each other and they all moved closer to the cot she was sprawled across. She lifted her head and instantly regretted that small motion. The room swayed and she had to clench the edges of the cot just to prevent herself from tumbling off the edge.

Paige was an emotional mess. "I'm sorry," she whimpered again, plonking her head back against a pillow and firmly squeezing her eyes.

Shane had just as many emotions in his eyes as he moved to his daughter's side and gazed down at her. "Don't worry, baby. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Nothing wrong?" Mr. Mendes snorted. "She could have killed someone. Not to mention the destruction to school property."

"Which occurred during a school approved spell," Shane argued. "Obviously the spell was flawed. This school is supposed to help her. Mentor her." His lawyer instincts had taken over. No way was he going to allow any blame to be put on his child.

"She had to have tempered with it," Mr. Mendes argued back. "For it to blow up the way it did."

Paige zoomed back in at that moment. She opened her eyes and pushed herself up into a sitting position, just to argue her case, but Kendall was already shaking her head.

"That's not true," she said. "I was by her side the whole time. I saw every step she made. She followed the instructions. I don't know what happened."

"I'm sorry," Paige said again, feeling tears prickle her eyes. She forced them back down. "I didn't mean to. It just . . . happened." She glanced over at the principal. His face was unreadable, but he was the one that sealed her fate. Either he would expel her or have her arrested. Hopefully neither. She didn't know where she would go from here.

Paige shook all those insecurities free. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood, quickly stepping out of Shane's embrace, almost as if he was afraid she'd drop to the floor. "I'm fine," she reassured her dad. It was an obvious lie, but no one questioned it.

"You need to take it easy," Ms. Kerby said. "From what I've heard, you used a lot of power. It may take a few days to truly recover. I recommend bedrest."

Paige shook her head. "Not happening." She glanced down at her watch. School is meant to end soon, then the hallways would be flooded with curious students. She wanted to avoid the looks, all the whispers, for as long as possible. No doubt she was a topic of discussion again.

She turned to her dad. "Can I go home now?"

Shane nodded slowly, then turned to Mr. Mendes. "It was an accident. I've already spoken to Ms. Schade and she's informed me that magical incidences happen like this all the time. You cannot punish my daughter for something the school made her do."